The I Ching or Book of Changes (75 page)

d
) 4. How great indeed is the Creative! It is firm and strong, moderate and correct, pure, unalloyed and spiritual.

Here the attributes of the whole hexagram are deduced from the nature of its ruler, the nine in the fifth place, as is frequently the case in the
T’uan Chuan
, Commentary on the Decision, to which the entire passage refers. The fifth line is firm because it is in an uneven place, strong because it is undivided (strong means movement, firm means rest); it is moderate because it is in the middle of the upper trigram, correct because it stands in its appropriate place—a strong line in a strong place. In these four attributes the four cardinal attributes of the hexagram are revealed once more. These attributes are present in pure, unalloyed, and spiritual form because the hexagram consists of strong lines only.

d
) 5. The six individual lines open up and unfold the thought, so that the character of the whole is explained through its different sides.

Because of the unity of the hexagram, the individual lines stand in a continuous relationship that, as it progresses, clarifies the idea of the whole still further. In this respect the hexagram Ch’ien, THE CREATIVE, forms a contrast to K’un, THE RECEPTIVE, in which the single lines stand side by side without inner relationship. This inheres in the temporal character of THE CREATIVE as contrasted with the spatial character of THE RECEPTIVE.

d
) 6. “In his own time he mounts toward heaven on six dragons. The clouds pass and the rain falls.” All this means peace coming to the world.

Because of this closing remark, the corresponding passage in the Commentary on the Decision is interpreted as a reference to historical events, namely, the ordering of the empire.

On the Lines

On nine at the beginning:

a
) 4. Nine at the beginning means: “Hidden dragon. Do not act.” What does this signify? The Master said:

This means a person who has the character of a dragon but remains concealed. He does not change to suit the outside world; he makes no name for himself. He withdraws from the world, yet is not sad about it. He receives no recognition, yet is not sad about it. If lucky, he carries out his principles; if unlucky, he withdraws with them. Verily, he cannot be uprooted; he is a hidden dragon.

b
) 1. “Hidden dragon. Do not act.” The reason is that he is below.

c
) 1. “Hidden dragon. Do not act.” The power of the light principle is still covered up and concealed.

d
) 7. The superior man acts in accordance with the character that has become perfected within him. This is a way of life that can submit to scrutiny on any day.

Being hidden means that he is still in concealment and not given recognition, that if he should act he would not as yet accomplish anything. In this case the superior man does not act.

On nine in the second place:

a
) 5. Nine in the second place means: “Dragon appearing in the field. It furthers one to see the great man.” What does this signify?

The Master said: This means a man who has the character of a dragon and is moderate and correct. Even in ordinary speech he is reliable. Even in ordinary actions he is careful. He does away with what is false and preserves his integrity. He improves his era and does not boast about it. His character is influential and transforms men.

In the Book of Changes it is said: “Dragon appearing in the field. It furthers one to see the great man.” This refers to a man who has the qualities of a ruler.

b
) 2. “Dragon appearing in the field.” The reason is that he is not needed as yet.

c
) 2. “Dragon appearing in the field.” Through him the whole world attains beauty and clarity.

d
) 8. The superior man learns in order to gather material; he questions in order to sift it. Thus he becomes generous in nature and kindly in his actions.

In the Book of Changes it is said: “Dragon appearing in the field. It furthers one to see the great man.” For he has the qualities of a ruler.

On nine in the third place:

a
) 6. Nine in the third place means: “All day long the superior man is creatively active. At nightfall his mind is still beset with cares. Danger. No blame.” What does this signify?

The Master said: The superior man improves his character and labors at his task. It is through loyalty and faith that he fosters his character. By working
on his words, so that they rest firmly on truth, he makes his work enduring. He knows how this is to be achieved and achieves it; in this way he is able to plant the right seed. He knows how it is to be brought to completion and so completes it; thereby he is able to make it truly enduring. For this reason he is not proud in his superior position nor disappointed in an inferior one. Thus he is creatively active and, as circumstances demand, careful, so that even in a dangerous situation he does not make a mistake.

b
) 3. “All day long he is creatively active.” This is the way in which he carries out his undertakings.

c
) 3. “All day long he is creatively active.” He moves with the time.

d
) 9. The nine in the third place shows redoubled firmness and is moreover not in a central place. On the one hand, it is not yet in the heavens above; on the other hand, it is no longer in the field below. Therefore one must be creatively active and, as circumstances demand, careful. Then, despite the danger, no mistake is made.

On nine in the fourth place:

a
) 7. Nine in the fourth place means: “Wavering flight over the depths. No blame.” What does this signify?

The Master said: In ascent or descent there is no fixed rule, except that one must do nothing evil. In advance or retreat no sustained perseverance avails, except that one must not depart from one’s nature. The superior man fosters his character and labors at his task, in order to do everything at the right time. Therefore he makes no mistake.

b
) 4. “Wavering flight over the depths.” He tests his powers.

c
) 4. “Wavering flight over the depths.” Here the way of the Creative is about to transform itself.

d)
10. The nine in the fourth place is too rigid and not moderate. It is not yet in the heavens above, neither is it any longer in the field below nor in the middle regions of the human. Therefore it is said: “Wavering flight …” To waver means that one has freedom of choice, therefore one makes no mistake.

On nine in the fifth place:

a
) 8. Nine in the fifth place means: “Flying dragon in the heavens. It furthers one to see the great man.” What does this signify?

The Master said: Things that accord in tone vibrate together. Things that have affinity in their inmost nature seek one another. Water flows to what is wet, fire turns to what is dry. Clouds follow the dragon, wind follows the tiger. Thus the sage rises, and all creatures follow him with their eyes. What is born of heaven feels related to what is above. What is born of earth feels related to what is below. Each follows its kind.

b
) 5. “Flying dragon in the heavens.” This is the supreme way of ruling.

c
) 5. “Flying dragon in the heavens.” This is the place appropriate to heavenly character.

d
) 11. The great man accords in his character with heaven and earth; in his light, with the sun and moon; in his consistency, with the four seasons; in the good and evil fortune that he creates, with gods and spirits. When he acts in advance of heaven, heaven
does not contradict him. When he follows heaven, he adapts himself to the time of heaven. If heaven itself does not resist him, how much less do men, gods, and spirits!

On nine at the top:

a
) 9. Nine at the top means: “Arrogant dragon will have cause to repent.” What does this signify?

The Master said: He who is noble and has no corresponding position, he who stands high and has no following, he who has able people under him who do not have his support, that man will have cause for regret at every turn.

b
) 6. “Arrogant dragon will have cause to repent.” Everything that goes to extremes meets with misfortune.

c
) 6. “Arrogant dragon will have cause to repent.” In time he exhausts himself.

d
) 12. Arrogance means that one knows how to press forward but not how to draw back, that one knows existence but not annihilation, knows something about winning but nothing about losing.

It is only the holy man who understands how to press forward and how to draw back, who knows existence and annihilation as well, without losing his true nature. The holy man alone can do this.

On all the nines changing:

b
) 7. When THE CREATIVE, the great, undergoes change in all the nines, the world is set in order.

c
) 7. When THE CREATIVE, the great, undergoes change in all the nines, one perceives the law of heaven.

NOTE. The hexagram Ch’ien, THE CREATIVE, occupies a unique position, in that it is uniformly composed of firm lines all having a certain relation to one another. They form a sequence of stages, so that a genetic development in time can be observed. For this reason the judgments attached to the individual lines in this hexagram differ from those pertaining to any of the other hexagrams. In the case of THE CREATIVE, there can be no question of relationships of correspondence and holding together
⁸
between firm and yielding lines, such as determine the character of the other hexagrams; instead, the judgment takes into account solely the relation of the place to the nature of the line.

A characteristic difference between the upper and the lower trigram is to be noted. The lower pictures the development of the character of the creative power; the upper, the development of the external position. The first line and the fourth each mark a beginning. The first line, at the very bottom, still within the realm of earth (first and second places), is designated as hidden, latent. The fourth line, in the lowest place of the upper trigram, likewise indicates a beginning, that is, a changing of position. In themselves, the omens for this line are not favorable. Being firm in a yielding place, the line does not fit its place, and this might well imply a defect somewhere. But because the essence of the Creative is strength, it is explicitly emphasized that there is no mistake. The divergence between the character and the place of the line manifests itself instead in the potentiality of the decision, which is still in doubt.

The middle lines in the two trigrams, the second and the fifth, are extraordinarily favorable. The second line is central and as such is immediately to be conceived as correct. Since it is still in the lower trigram, it shows the inner nature of the great man, who is already becoming known (“in the field”) but does not yet hold an appropriate position. He must see the “great man” in the fifth place, with whom he is connected by kinship of character, and who, as ruler of the whole, can assign him the position suitable to him. These favorable omens hold in regard to the fifth line in a yet more marked degree. The second line shows the strong man in a weak, lowly
place; in the fifth line, however, character and position accord. It is a strong line in a strong place, in the sphere of heaven (fifth and sixth places); moreover, it is the ruler of the whole. Therefore it represents the great man whom it is worthwhile to see. Hence the two central lines carry no warning at all; they are altogether favorable.

It is different in the case of the two end lines, the third and the top line. Of the two, the third has the more favorable position. It is indeed too strong for the place of transition (strength of character intensified by strength of place), so that it would seem that mistakes are to be feared. However, since the whole hexagram deals with creative powers, excess of strength does no harm, for at the place of transition it can be applied to inner preparation for the new conditions. For the top line, however, matters are quite different. Here the end of the whole situation is reached. Although the place is weak, the line character is still strong. This divergence between what one wants to do and what one is able to do leads to remorse, since there is no possible way out.